If you are raising venture capital or are investing in a business, it is vital to obtain prompt, expert legal advice.
We provide specialist representation to founders, startups, scaleups, and investors across England and Wales, supporting clients through funding rounds from pre-seed and seed stage through Series A, Series B and beyond.
Our experience helps clients structure, negotiate, and complete venture capital deals efficiently while protecting their financial and commercial interests.
Initial Discussion – Call Now
Contact our lawyers by calling us on 07513 826 746 or complete our enquiry form and one of our team will call you back.
Confidential, Expert Advice
Venture capital transactions are often complex, fast-moving, and commercially sensitive. Early legal involvement allows us to advise on deal structure, draft robust agreements, and help manage risks to ensure smooth completion while protecting relationships between founders and investors.
While venture capital investors often require governance rights and oversight, their experience, networks, and strategic input can play a critical role in scaling a business when balanced appropriately with founder control. Venture capital funding is a key driver of growth for startups and scaleups, often structured across multiple rounds with evolving rights and obligations.
For over 20 years, Culbert Ellis has supported founders, investors, and companies on transactions of all sizes, guiding them from early-stage investment through to growth and exit.
We advise at all stages, including term sheets, investment agreements, subscription and shareholders’ agreements, Articles of Association, disclosure letters, and related documentation.
Types of Venture Capital Matters We Handle
We act for clients in a wide range of venture capital matters, including:
Every venture capital transaction is different, requiring careful assessment and a tailored legal strategy that reflects the objectives of both investors and companies.
Structuring and Completing Venture Capital Transactions
Structuring venture capital investments requires legal precision and commercial awareness. At Culbert Ellis, we review the proposed investment structure, investor and founder rights, governance arrangements, dilution implications, warranties, completion mechanics and exit provisions to help you determine the most effective approach.
We work proactively to ensure that documentation is clear, balanced and aligned across all transaction documents. Our approach helps avoid delays, manage risk and achieve commercially sound outcomes.
Understanding the Legal Process
Venture capital transactions typically begin with a term sheet outlining the key commercial terms. Early-stage investments may proceed quickly to documentation, sometimes involving SEIS or EIS schemes, while later-stage rounds often involve detailed due diligence and more complex negotiation.
The process commonly includes subscription and shareholders’ agreements, updated Articles of Association, disclosure letters, and completion and post-completion formalities. Our team ensures clients are supported throughout each stage and fully understand their legal and commercial position.
Initial Discussion – Call Now
Contact our lawyers by calling 07513 826 746 or complete our enquiry form.
Contact our lawyers by calling us on 07513 826 746 or complete our enquiry form and one of our team will call you back.

Director, Solicitor
Justin is a director of Culbert Ellis and has been advising clients on investment and commercial matters for over 25 years. As one of the founders of Culbert Ellis, he has first-hand experience of the issues that founders face. Justin also has extensive experience advising on equity investments, shareholder arrangements, mergers and acquisitions, and complex commercial contracts.
Justin advises investors, founders, and corporate clients on structuring and negotiating investment transactions, managing investment risk, and protecting shareholder interests. His approach focuses on practical and commercially focused solutions, whether through negotiation, contractual structuring, or dispute avoidance.
Justin’s principal areas of practice include investment and shareholder agreements, mergers and acquisitions, IT and intellectual property contracts, outsourcing, data protection, and commercial contracts. He is recognised in national publications as an expert in IT law, intellectual property, and competition law, and is a member of the International Bar Association, sitting on its Closely Held Companies Committee.

Director, Solicitor
Tony is our Head of Corporate and has over 20 years’ experience advising businesses, founders, and investors on investment and corporate matters. He has extensive experience supporting investment transactions, shareholder arrangements, and corporate governance.
Tony advises clients ranging from start-ups to listed companies on raising investment, structuring transactions, and navigating complex corporate issues. His approach is practical and commercially focused, informed by international experience across a wide range of sectors.
Tony’s principal areas of practice include investment and shareholder agreements, UK and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial contracts, restructurings and reorganisations, directors’ duties, and corporate governance.

Associate, Solicitor
Joe advises investors and corporate clients across multiple sectors, with a particular focus on technology and food and beverage, on investment related corporate matters.
Joe advises on investment and shareholder agreements, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate governance, commercial contracts, intellectual property agreements, finance documents, and restructurings. He is recognised as a key lawyer in the Legal 500 and is known for providing commercially sound, practical advice on complex investment transactions.
With extensive experience in venture capital investments, our team has a strong track record of achieving efficient, commercially sound outcomes.
“I’ve used Culbert Ellis for many years now for investments, exits, disputes and other legal matters. They give me good value, sensible, commercial legal advice. They understand what I want, and achieve it quickly and efficiently.”
Well-known UK entrepreneur and investor, Theo Paphitis
“The firm is partner-led, with significant expertise in transaction support.”
“The team are proactive and also pragmatic. I like the fact they provide the facts and then an opinion too. There has always been a specialist suitable to our needs.”
“The team moves at the pace of a startup, often turning around urgent workstreams within tight timelines without compromising quality.”
“The team don’t just provide legal answers; they offer practical, risk-based recommendations that align with business outcomes. They understand what matters to founders, investors and clients.”
Clients in Chambers and Partners’ Guide to the Legal Profession in the UK
“Advised on the company’s first “friends and family” fund-raising in 2020 and subsequent rounds, including private equity investment from Beringea and Guinness.”
Moth Drinks
“Supported the company through its first funding round in 2023, follow-on rounds in 2024, and a £5m Series A in 2025.”
Cybaverse
“Advising high-profile investors such as Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis on both investments and successful exits.”
Private Investors
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